Here found retreat, and cease our hot purfuit. [Retreat. A tomb, wherein his corpfe fhall be interr'd: The treacherous manner of his mournful death, I mufe we met not with the Dauphin's Grace, Bed.'Tis thought, Lord Talbot, when the fight began, Bur. My felf, as far as I cou'd well difcern For fmoak and dufky vapours of the night, Am fure I fear'd the Dauphin and his trull; When, arm in arm, they both came fwiftly running, Like to a pair of loving turtle-doves, That cou'd not live afunder day or night. After that things are fet in order here, We'll follow them with all the power we have. Enter a Meffenger. Meff. All hail, my Lords; which of this princely train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts So much applauded through the realm of France? Tal. Here is the Talbot, who would fpeak with him? Meff. The virtuous Lady, Countefs of Auvergne, With modefty admiring thy renown, By me intreats, great Lord, thou would'ft vouchsafe To vifit her poor caftle where the lies; That he may boaft the hath beheld the man Whofe glory fills the world with loud report. When ladies crave to be encounter'd with. Will not your honours bear me company? Bed. No, truly; that is more than manners will: And I have heard it said, unbidden guests Are often welcomeft when they are gone. Tal. Well then, alone, fince there is no remedy, I mean to prove this lady's courtesy. Come hither, Captain; you perceive my mind. [Whispers. Capt. I do, my Lord, and mean accordingly. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The Countess of Auvergne's cafile. Enter the Countefs, and her Porter. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; And when you've done fo, bring the keys to me. Port. Madam, I will. [Exit. Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I fhall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour* of this dreadful knight, And his at hievements of no lefs account: Fain would mine eyes be witnefs with mine ears, Mef. Madam, according as your Ladyfhip By meffage crav'd, fo is Lord Talbot come. Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man? Mef. Madam, it is. Count. Is this the fcourge of France? Is this the Talbot fo much fear'd abroad, That with his name the mothers ftill their babes? I fee report is fabulous and false. I thought I fhould have seen fome Hercules; A large proportion of his strong knit limbs. It cannot be this weak and writhled shrimp Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: [goes. Count. What means he now? Go afk him, whither be To know the caufe of your abrupt departure. . Enter Porter with keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. Count. To me, blood-thirfty Lord: And for that cause I train'd thee to my house. But now the fubftance fhall endure the like, [to moan, Count. Laugheft thou, wretch? thy mirth fhall turn Tal. I laugh to fee your Ladyfhip fo fond, To think that you have aught but Talbot's fhadow Whereon to practife your feverity. Count. Why? art not thou the man? Tal. I am, indeed. Count. Then have I fubftance too. Tal. No, no; I am but fhadow of my felf: You are deceiv'd, my fubftance is not here; I tell you, Madam, were the whole frame here, Your Your roof were not fufficient to contain it. Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce; He will be here, and yet he is not here : How can thefe contrarieties agree? Tal. That will I fhew you presently. Winds his horn; drums ftrike up; a peal of ordnance. Enter Soldiers. How fay you, Madam? are you now perfuaded, Thefe are his fubftance, finews, arms, and ftrength, Count. Victorious Talbot, pardon my abufe; I did not entertain thee as thou art. Tal. Be not difmay'd, fair Lady; nor mifconftrue The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake The outward compofition of his body. What you have done, hath not offended me: But only with your patience that we may Tafte of your wine, and fee what cates you have; For foldiers' ftomachs always ferve them well. Count. With all my heart, and think me honoured To feaft fo great a warrior in my house. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Changes to London in the Temple-garden. Enter Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, Somerset, Suffolk, Vernon, and others. Plan. Great Lords and Gentlemen, what means this Dare no man anfwer in a cafe of truth? [filence? Suf. Within the Temple-hall we were too loud, The garden here is more convenient. Plan. Then fay at once, if I maintain'd the truth; Or else was wrangling Somerset in th' error? Suf. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law; I never yet could frame my will to it, And And therefore frame the law unto my will. [us. Som. Judge you, my Lord of Warwick, then between pitch, Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth, Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance; Som. And on my fide it is fo well apparell'd, So clear, fo fhining, and fo evident, That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye. And ftands upon the honour of his birth, From off this briar pluck a white rofe with me Som. Let him that is no coward, and no flatterer, But dare maintain the party of the truth, War. I love no colours; and without all colour I pluck this white refe with Plantagenet. Suf. I pluck this red rofe with young Somerset, And fay, withal, I think he held the right. Ver. Stay, Lords and Gentlemen, and pluck no more, 'Till you conclude, that he upon whose side This is given as the original of the two badges of the bouse of York and Lancafter; whether truly or not, is no great matter. But the proverbial expreffion of faying a thing under the rofe, I am perfuaded came from thence. When the nation had ranged itself into two great factions, under the white and red rofe, and were perpetually plotting and counterplotting against one another, then when a matter of faction was communicated by either party to his friend in the fame quarrel, it was natural for him to add, that he faid it under the rofe, meaning, that as it concern'd the faction, it was religiously to be kept fecret. Mr. War burton. The |